EIA predicts slight increase in biomass power production

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the February 2013 issue of its Short-Term Energy Outlook. According to the outlook, EIA expects total electricity generation across all sectors to increase by 0.5 percent in 2013 and 0.8 percent in 2014.

In its outlook, the EIA reported that wood biomass accounted for 103,000 MWh per day of electrical generation in 2012. In 2013, power from wood biomass is expected to increase to an average of 106,000 MWh per day, and 110,000 MWh per day in 2014.

Approximately 54,000 MWh of electricity per day was generated from waste biomass in 2012. That is expected to increase to 56,000 MWh per day in 2013, and be maintained at that level through 2014.

The electric power sector consumed 177 trillion Btu of wood biomass power and 252 trillion Btu of waste biomass power in 2012. This is expected to increase to a relative 198 trillion Btu and 260 trillion Btu in 2013, and 220 trillion Btu and 261 trillion Btu in 2014. The industrial sector consumed 1.3 quadrillion Btu of woody biomass in 2012, along with 172 trillion Btu of waste biomass. Consumption by the sector is expected to be reduced to a respective 1.227 quadrillion Btu and 171 trillion Btu in 2013. In 2014, the EIA predicts the industrial sector will consume 1.24 quadrillion Btu of woody biomass and 173 trillion Btu of from waste biomass feedstock. The commercial sector consumed 71 trillion Btu of woody biomass and 43 trillion Btu of waste biomass in 2012. The relative consumption levels for 2013 and 2014 are predicted to be 68 trillion Btu and 43 trillion Btu, and 69 trillion Btu and 43 trillion Btu. Finally, the residential sector consumed 429 trillion Btu of woody biomass in 2012. This is expected to drop slightly in 2013 to 417 trillion Btu, before rebounding to 425 trillion Btu in 2014.